Four former area coaches a part of NCHSAA's top 100

By BRITTANY JACKSONTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 11:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 11:07 p.m.

Of the 100 counties in North Carolina and more than 500 high schools, four coaches from Henderson County high schools have been recognized by the NCHSAA in the association's recent release of its "100 Coaches to Remember" list.

Tom Pryor, Jan Stanley, David Gentry and Carroll Wright.

The late Edneyville High women's basketball coach Tom Pryor stood for many years with the most victories than any other coach in state history over his 40-year career. He finished his coaching career with a record of 702-244, with 594 of those wins happening at Edneyville.

He also coached track, football, golf and baseball and held a 66-42-5 record for football, and umpired softball for 10 years. Pryor is a member of the NCHSAA Hall of Fame and served on the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association Board of Directors.

Longtime West Henderson volleyball coach Jan Stanley was also chosen to the list of 100 in honor of her 35-year career coaching volleyball, women's basketball and even softball, track and field and tennis at the school. For several years she had the most career victories in prep volleyball in the state and is now a close second all-time.

Stanley led the Lady Falcons to the 2003 and 2004 3-A state titles in volleyball, as well as 3-A crowns in 1989 and 1990 and a women's basketball state title in 1991. She finished with a volleyball career record of 698-116.

From 1975 to 2009, she acquired 30 conference titles in volleyball and 10 trips to the state championship match, which resulted in five NCHSAA titles and five runner-up finishes.

She was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2008 and won a North Carolina Coach of the Year and two National Coach of the Year awards. She also served four years as a member of the NCHSAA Board of Directors.

Although David Gentry is now best-known for his success as a football coach at Murphy High, with the 2012 season marking his 43rd year of coaching, he got his start at Edneyville High.

Gentry has compiled more than 320 career wins and holds the Western North Carolina record for wins. He guided teams to the NCHSAA 1-A state championship in 1986, '87, '91, '96 and 2011, and has won numerous Coach of the Year awards. He will join the NCHSAA Board of Directors for the 2013-14 academic year.

Carroll Wright compiled an outstanding record as a head football coach at several different schools — Swain County, Brevard, West Henderson and Pisgah — during a career spanning more than 30 years. He was best known for his football success at Brevard, where his teams went 50-14-2 in six seasons (1974-79).

Wright first served as head football coach, women's basketball coach and athletic director at Swain from 1960 to 1967 and then spent five years at Hartsville, S.C., where he won a lower state 4-A title before moving on to Brevard. He was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2003.

Recently retired Smoky Mountain basketball and volleyball coach Cindi Simmons was also named to the list, as well as former longtime A.C. Reynolds football coach Bobby Poss.

<p>Of the 100 counties in North Carolina and more than 500 high schools, four coaches from Henderson County high schools have been recognized by the NCHSAA in the association's recent release of its "100 Coaches to Remember" list. </p><p>Tom Pryor, Jan Stanley, David Gentry and Carroll Wright.</p><p>The late Edneyville High women's basketball coach Tom Pryor stood for many years with the most victories than any other coach in state history over his 40-year career. He finished his coaching career with a record of 702-244, with 594 of those wins happening at Edneyville. </p><p>He also coached track, football, golf and baseball and held a 66-42-5 record for football, and umpired softball for 10 years. Pryor is a member of the NCHSAA Hall of Fame and served on the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association Board of Directors. </p><p>Longtime West Henderson volleyball coach Jan Stanley was also chosen to the list of 100 in honor of her 35-year career coaching volleyball, women's basketball and even softball, track and field and tennis at the school. For several years she had the most career victories in prep volleyball in the state and is now a close second all-time. </p><p>Stanley led the Lady Falcons to the 2003 and 2004 3-A state titles in volleyball, as well as 3-A crowns in 1989 and 1990 and a women's basketball state title in 1991. She finished with a volleyball career record of 698-116. </p><p>From 1975 to 2009, she acquired 30 conference titles in volleyball and 10 trips to the state championship match, which resulted in five NCHSAA titles and five runner-up finishes. </p><p>She was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2008 and won a North Carolina Coach of the Year and two National Coach of the Year awards. She also served four years as a member of the NCHSAA Board of Directors. </p><p>Although David Gentry is now best-known for his success as a football coach at Murphy High, with the 2012 season marking his 43rd year of coaching, he got his start at Edneyville High. </p><p>Gentry has compiled more than 320 career wins and holds the Western North Carolina record for wins. He guided teams to the NCHSAA 1-A state championship in 1986, '87, '91, '96 and 2011, and has won numerous Coach of the Year awards. He will join the NCHSAA Board of Directors for the 2013-14 academic year.</p><p>Carroll Wright compiled an outstanding record as a head football coach at several different schools — Swain County, Brevard, West Henderson and Pisgah — during a career spanning more than 30 years. He was best known for his football success at Brevard, where his teams went 50-14-2 in six seasons (1974-79). </p><p>Wright first served as head football coach, women's basketball coach and athletic director at Swain from 1960 to 1967 and then spent five years at Hartsville, S.C., where he won a lower state 4-A title before moving on to Brevard. He was inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2003. </p><p>Recently retired Smoky Mountain basketball and volleyball coach Cindi Simmons was also named to the list, as well as former longtime A.C. Reynolds football coach Bobby Poss.</p>